Major League Baseballs are Still Handmade

What do you imagine making baseballs for the pros looks like?

You might be surprised when you see what really happens behind the scenes at Rawlings.  Consistent quality is a priority, and much of the work is labor intensive and done by hand.

(Check out the effect of a pitch clock on Major League games’ cycle times in this OM in the News post.)


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By |2023-05-31T05:37:28+00:00May 31, 2023|Tags: , , , |

The Barcode Turns 50

The barcode’s origin story is somewhat in doubt. However, many people recognize April 3, 1973, as its birthday—making the barcode 50 years old.

On this day, the IBM version created by senior engineer George Laurer was approved as the industry standard. Shortly thereafter, the first barcoded product was scanned in Marsh’s supermarket near Troy, Ohio. The item was a 10-pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum for $1.39.

The use of the barcode has greatly expanded since 1973. Barcodes are everywhere. The Universal Product […]

What Is the Future of Traditional Grocery Stores?

Will the traditional grocery store become a thing of the past, or will it continue in its current form?

In the not too distant past, virtually all shopping was done in-person in the store. Online ordering with either pickup or delivery was a novelty. However, COVID escalated the use of pickup and delivery of groceries (either retail delivery or third-party delivery, such as DoorDash).

Online grocery sales (pickup, delivery, and ship-to-home) represented about 12% of grocery sales in January 2023—up slightly over […]

US Air Travel Disruptions: The Rule Instead of the Exception?

The airline industry has taken major hits since December 2022, and customer anxiety is on the rise over booking new reservations.

In December—during the peak of the holiday season—Southwest Airlines cancelled over 13,000 flights due to an antiquated and unreliable flight scheduling system.

In January, a nationwide ground stop imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over a computer issue forced a 90-minute halt to all U.S. departing flights, leading to over 10,000 delays in one day alone.

January’s grounding […]

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